Lundgren M6 vs Black Heaven

FourT6and2

FourT6and2

Well-known member
Has anybody compared these first hand? Currently rocking the Duncan Nazgul, but thinking of setting up another guitar for Drop C and want to try something else. Was thinking Duncan Black Winter, or Lundgren M6 or Black Heaven.
 
FourT6and2 said:
Has anybody compared these first hand? Currently rocking the Duncan Nazgul, but thinking of setting up another guitar for Drop C and want to try something else. Was thinking Duncan Black Winter, or Lundgren M6 or Black Heaven.
Click to expand...
Also curious about all those
 
Just put a black winter in my baritone and was cross shopping these as well. Will say the BW does a very nice job at being balanced and clear with the extended scale and range.

Pleased with the BW but still curious on Lundgrens.
 
FourT6and2 said:
Has anybody compared these first hand? Currently rocking the Duncan Nazgul, but thinking of setting up another guitar for Drop C and want to try something else. Was thinking Duncan Black Winter, or Lundgren M6 or Black Heaven.
Click to expand...
Do you use high output pickups a lot?
 
I have both, in different guitars though, and it’s been a while since I directly compared. Black heaven ceramic only, I haven’t tried the alnico ones. I’m not very good at describing sounds so you’ll have to bear with me

I have two M7’s, and a 7 and 8 string black heaven.

What they have in common is they’re both tight and very percussive pickups. Some may call them stiff and clinical. I like it personally. My other pickups all have a certain ‘softness’ to them in comparison.

M7 is the hotter of the two, big bottom end (but not flubby or loose), somewhat relaxed midrange (I wouldn’t call it scooped). High end/high mids can be brash in certain guitars and with certain amps.

Black heaven is a bit more relaxed feeling where the M7 is very metal-metal-metal, but still tight, percussive. Bottom end is a bit less, brighter as well but not as brash. Currently I’m preferring the black heaven but the m7 was my go-to for many years.
 
I’ve had numerous of both, but as a whole, the m series is a drop sharper and more aggressive- I like the m series more as a whole but if you are in the standard tuning camp I could see liking the black heaven more. I still prefer the m6 though and have yet to try a modern pickup I like anywhere near as much
 
japetus said:
Do you use high output pickups a lot?
Click to expand...

I don't even know what would be considered high output these days. I've tried JB, Distortion, BKP Riff Raff, Emerald, Black Dog, Nailbomb, EMG 81/85, PAFs, Duncan Omega, Nazgul. The Nazgul is my current and favorite. Been using that for 10 years at least.
 
I've had both in the same guitars:

M6 - it's a little hotter & punchier with a more firm/stiff and aggressive attack under the fingers. There is a little bit of a hollow characteristic to it as well. It has quite a bit of bass. So much so that it can actually get overly boomy in some guitars despite still feeling stiff under the fingers. However, it works exceptionally well with mid focused boosts - it has enough low end that the guitar's signal doesn't get neutered and the stiff attack keeps it from getting mushy. So all in all it's a cool & unique sounding pickup, but is also a little more "particular" and not as versatile in comparison to the Black Heaven imo.

Black Heaven Ceramic - more of a medium output with more give under the fingers. It's still plenty tight and aggressive, though imo. It has noticeably less bass in comparison and has more of a mid & upper mid focus. It's not stuffy in the mids, though, and still has good openness and extension up top. It also boosts well, but depending on the guitar and rest of the signal it can get pretty mid heavy. It's more versatile than the M6 overall, but it still has that modern mid voicing going on.
 
IMO for down tuned guitar the M6 is tough to beat. Very aggressive sounding if that is what one needs. Not boomy but plenty of lows.
 
Have The One in a guitar I got recently and it smokes. Makes me want to try more Lundgrens.
 
I’ve only tried M6’s of the Lundgren’s, but like them a lot. The only non-vintage pickup I’ve had with something unique to offer me. The other guys covered it well. They’re tight, articulate, modern, big lows, scooped mids, strong highs. I could see them not being for everyone. Wouldn’t really choose them for ‘80’s stuff lol

I find they can maybe come off sometimes clinical or cold in a cool way imo, not like in a filtered or cardboardy way like with amps I complain about if that makes any sense at all LOL (cough cough UU). Maybe like an industrial metal sound. Hard to explain, but I like it

One thing guys never seem to talk about is the M6 neck pickup is also one of my favorite neck pickups and the M6’s have great crystal-y cleans. They’re not still organic/lively or raw the same way vintage pickups are IME compared, but I’ve grown to love the unique flavor of the M6’s. They offer something different for sure
 
Last edited:
Personally like the BW more than the M6.
That said; Here would be my tier list (in my personal ownership experience w/modern high gain amps) for drop C (bridge pickups) YMMV

1. Nazgul, Atlas, Mercenary, Black Heaven
2. Ragnarok, BW, Duncan Solar
3. M6, Invader

If you want something different than the Nazgul, would recommend the Atlas for slightly cleaner and slightly more highs or the Mercenary for sheer push.
Both are about or slightly above on par in articulation with the Nazgul and low tunings, imo. I would slightly lean toward the Black Heaven over the Atlas if $ is no concern. Only very slightly. The Black Winter is amazing, but it starts to get pushed out of the competition (imo) once the tunings start dropping.
GL on your quest!
 
No experience with the black heaven, but I have a black winter in a guitar, have had a few Nazguls, and had an M6. The M6 has this more thuddy character to it that's pretty cool vs the BW or Nazgul.
 
NowYou'rePlayingWithPower said:
Personally like the BW more than the M6.
That said; Here would be my tier list (in my personal ownership experience w/modern high gain amps) for drop C (bridge pickups) YMMV

1. Nazgul, Atlas, Mercenary, Black Heaven
2. Ragnarok, BW, Duncan Solar
3. M6, Invader

If you want something different than the Nazgul, would recommend the Atlas for slightly cleaner and slightly more highs or the Mercenary for sheer push.
Both are about or slightly above on par in articulation with the Nazgul and low tunings, imo. I would slightly lean toward the Black Heaven over the Atlas if $ is no concern. Only very slightly. The Black Winter is amazing, but it starts to get pushed out of the competition (imo) once the tunings start dropping.
GL on your quest!
Click to expand...

Just reread what I wrote.
Def said slightly way too many times.
Sorry, Friday night...🤪
 
Has anyone tried any of the lower gain Lundgrens, like Heaven 57 and Hot Heaven? Wondering if they have the same punchy and articulate thing going on.
 
haven’t played the ceramic BH, but I found the Alnico set to be pretty hollow sounding and very high mid heavy. Preferred the M6 by far. I assume the ceramic would fix that.

honestly though, The One was the pickup I preferred the most of their offerings. I have a set in my Les Paul, it has more low mid growl without being as overly bass heavy as I found the M6 to be.

OP if you’re looking at other options, I would also recommend looking at Elysian. I replaced the Lundgrens I had in my JP6 with them, and I found it to be an improvement. Price point is similar, plus you customize them to what you want.
 
FourT6and2 said:
I don't even know what would be considered high output these days. I've tried JB, Distortion, BKP Riff Raff, Emerald, Black Dog, Nailbomb, EMG 81/85, PAFs, Duncan Omega, Nazgul. The Nazgul is my current and favorite. Been using that for 10 years at least.
Click to expand...
Ever tried the BKP juggernaut? Great pickup.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top